The new Jeep Cherokee

Thursday

Mar 28, 2013 at 12:01 AMMar 28, 2013 at 6:49 PM

Jeep introduced the next generation of the Cherokee SUV this week, a key procuct for Toledo, the city where it is assembled.

The new Cherokee has an improvement in fuel economy and a big change in interior and exterior styling. Chrysler, which owns the Jeep brand, introduced the model at the New York International Auto Show.

Critical reaction was strong, and mixed.

Paul Lienert of Reuters wrote that the 2014 Cherokee "looks like it would fit better in Italian cousin Alfa Romeo's future product stable." That's not exactly a good thing for many Jeep fans, and they have been howling their displeasure on social media since the first photos of the vehicle were released in February, he wrote.

Jeep introduced the next generation of the Cherokee SUV this week, a key product for Toledo, the city where it is assembled.

The new Cherokee has an improvement in fuel economy and a big change in interior and exterior styling. Chrysler, which owns the Jeep brand, introduced the model at the New York International Auto Show.

Critical reaction was strong, and mixed.

Paul Lienert of Reuters wrote that the 2014 Cherokee "looks like it would fit better in Italian cousin Alfa Romeo's future product stable." That's not exactly a good thing for many Jeep fans, and they have been howling their displeasure on social media since the first photos of the vehicle were released in February, he wrote.

On Motor Trend's website, Frank Markus wrote, "The stated design goal for Jeepís latest crossover was to make it look contemporary in 2019, when it becomes due for a redesign. The somewhat jarring nose probably achieves this end, from its broad, low, vaguely Peugeot-esque stance, super-slim lamp graphics, and kinked seven-slot grille elements."

The Cherokee's hometown newspaper, The Blade, sent reporter Tyrel Linkhorn to the New York show, and he described the scene: "The afternoon news conference at the New York International Auto Showwas flashy, with a gray Cherokee equipped with an off-road package crawling to the top of an uneven heap of fake rocks. A second upper-trim level maroon Cherokee joined it seconds later."